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Have you ever opened a gift and wondered what sort of message the sender was trying to convey by giving you that self-help book or a pair of socks?

It turns out that subliminal messages, passive-aggressive behavior and forced smiles are commonplace during the holidays, according to a new survey.

Groupon asked 2,000 people about gifting trends during the holiday season and found that one of out five Americans (22 percent) received a gift they felt carried a hidden meaning.

SWNS

Survey participants said their moms are the biggest culprits when it comes to trying to tell them something with their gift choices followed by their spouses and mother-in-laws.

According to the results, some of the top hidden meanings of gifts included: becoming more productive or organized, making diet improvements, increasing trips to the gym, learning how to cook and spicing up the sex life.

“These results give us an indication of just how much people read into the meaning behind their gifts and show that it’s worth making the extra effort to get everything right,” said Aaron Cooper, president of North America, Groupon. “Connecting a gift back to something meaningful is always the best and easiest way to make sure it goes over well.”

The survey, conducted by market researchers OnePoll and commissioned by Groupon, found that men are 67 percent more likely to receive a passive-aggressive gift from their mother than women.

Men are also three times more likely than women to throw out a bad gift within 48 hours of receiving it.

Groupon’s gift-giving study also discovered a significant amount of stress results from trying to give the perfect gift. More than a quarter of respondents, 28 percent, have suffered genuine anxiety at the thought of getting the right gift.

While four in 10 experience nerves when handing over their purchases and a further one in five said the worry over what to buy even causes them to lose sleep.

Insect repellant was named America’s most unwanted gift this holiday season, followed by a self-help book, cleaning supplies, wrinkle cream and fruitcake.

One in six worries that their gift will give the impression that they don’t like the person receiving the gift. And one in eight worries that their gift will make the person question how well they know them.

And sometimes it can go badly – one in eight (12 percent) of respondents gave someone a gift last year that wasn’t at all well received.

The average American expects to receive at least one gift they won’t like, which they’ll get rid of in about 13 days.

To help you give people the stuff they actually want this year, the Groupon Holiday Gift Shop is available 24/7 with curated items and experiences for everyone in your life.